The biggest event in British greyhound racing — the English Greyhound Derby — is this Saturday, June 25. The 2022 edition is down to six dogs and in anticipation, we've created this betting guide to the 2022 English Greyhound Derby. We have a close look at the racing field, plus our expert picks on which dog will win it all. Keep reading for expert betting advice!
What Dogs Are Competing At The 2022 English Greyhound Derby?
Qualifying for this event began a month ago with 192 different dogs. After plenty of back-and-forth action, we're left with six dogs, who will go at it at the Towcester Racecourse in Towcester, United Kingdom. Let's take a look at the current betting odds for all six Derby competitors, as set by the best betting sites:
| Dog |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Romeo Magico | +225 | +225 |
| Kildare | +225 | +225 |
| Priceless Jet | +330 | +330 |
| Hello Hammond | +550 | +550 |
| Mickys Barrett | +1200 | +1200 |
| Savana Beau | +1600 | +1600 |
The traps have already been drawn for all six dogs. It would behoove us to know this draw information before making a pick. Here's where each dog will start:
- Trap 1: Savana Beau
- Trap 2: Kildare
- Trap 3: Hello Hammond
- Trap 4: Romeo Magico
- Trap 5: Mickys Barrett
- Trap 6: Priceless Jet
The defending champion Thorn Falcon was stunningly upset very early on in the tournament. Likewise, another early betting favorite, Part Blake, was upset beforehand. However, new favorites have emerged in their absences.
As you saw, the co-favorites are Romeo Magico and Kildare. The former had dominant showings in the quarterfinals and semis, romping to victory with blazing speed both times. It's helped him secure a draw in Trap 4 for the showpiece. Kildare, on the other hand, is still riding high from his early upset of Thorn Falcon. During that competition, Kildare pieced together a deadly-fast time of 29.11 to conquer the reigning champion. Kildare also scored a runaway win in the semi-finals from Trap 2 for Irish trainer Peter Cronin.
Priceless Jet comes in with the third-best betting odds in the field. The hound is trained by two-time English Greyhound Derby winner Paul Hennessy so there's no shortage of championship pedigree there. Furthermore, Priceless Jet broke the Towcester track record in the quarter-finals (28.78) and many would consider him the fastest dog remaining.
After the aforementioned three dogs, there's a huge fall-off in the betting odds. It seems oddsmakers have this Derby as a three-dog race, but we wouldn't completely overlook Mickys Barrett. Not long ago, this dog strung together six straight wins. Admittedly, he's been uneven since then, but the high ceiling for performance is still there. His +1200 price might be an overlook on behalf of bookmakers.
Best Bet To Win The The 2022 English Greyhound Derby?
As mentioned beforehand, there are plenty of betting options to choose from. But if you could only wager on one dog to win the 2022 English Greyhound Derby — who is it and why? For us, it's Priceless Jet.
Priceless Jet has, perhaps, the biggest boom-or-bust potential in the whole field. When he's good, he's really, really good — as shown by his record-setting performance in the quarters. But when he's not as good, well, he's just a middle-of-the-pack runner. It's anyone's guess which version of Priceless Jet we'll see at the same Towcester Racecourse he created history at recently, but our bet is we see the same version from the quarter-finals. If so, that should be enough to secure a Derby victory.
We also recommend throwing a "prayer bet" on Mickys Barrett. The keyword in the last sentence is prayer bet, meaning a small wager. Priceless Jet should command the bulk of your betting action (in terms of dollar value), but Mickys Barrett at +1200 is too much value to pass up. Plus, at those steep prices, even a small $10 wager would pay out $120 if Mickys Barrett indeed pulls off the upset. Like Priceless Jet, Mickys Barrett is tough to beat when he's at his best.
How To Bet The 2022 English Greyhound Derby?
Despite the English Greyhound Derby's fame within the walls of dog racing, it's not exactly a "mainstream" sporting event like, say, the ongoing NHL Stanley Cup Finals or the upcoming Wimbledon tournament. So you won't find 2022 English Greyhound Derby bets available at all bookmakers. However, you will find them at the betting sites listed underneath. The bookies earmarked here were carefully chosen due to its massive sportsbook which includes any and every sport you can imagine, including greyhound competitions.
Moreover, these same sites also offer killer bonus offers that are doling out hundreds to thousands of dollars in free play — which you can spend on English Greyhound Derby bets, effectively making them free of cost too. To redeem the bonus, just create a new playing account and fund it with money using one of several payment methods supported. This deposit is what's matched in free play by the site and the more you deposit, the more you're rewarded obviously. See the table below for more details!
